Career-minded middle-schoolers check out West Boca High

Brianna Aviles is already in Loggers' Run Middle School's pre-medical choice academy.

She wants to be a plastic surgeon, so her next logical step would be the Academy of Medical Sciences at West Boca High School.

Brianna and her mother Robin were among hundreds of middle school students and parents who piled into the high school to check out the four career academies. They also include Drafting & Design, Information Technology and Culinary Arts.

"This is a great way to determine if this is what you want to do for the rest of your life," said Principal Mark Stenner, as he watched throngs of visitors cross the courtyard between the auditorium and the academy classrooms for an open house the evening of Dec. 2.

Academy openings could be as many as 50 each, and an independent firm chooses the students by a lottery system, Stenner said.

So even though Brianna's GPA is 4.0, she may not necessarily get in or get into an academy right away. Micayla Richardson, another Loggers' Run eighth-grader, is also looking at American Heritage School, she said walking into the school earlier.

The 800-seat auditorium was about three-quarters full, a smaller crowd than usual, Stenner said before the presentation. "A lot of kids know where they want to go," he added.

The School District of Palm Beach County had the 2014 Showcase of Schools at the South Florida Fairgrounds on Nov. 3 that highlighted 270 plus choice programs and career academies, according to the district.

And this wasn't the only open house held this time of year.

"The deadline to apply for one of the district's choice programs is Jan. 30, so schools are holding these open houses and giving tours so parents and students have a chance to learn more about what our public schools have to offer," according to Kathy Burstein, media relations specialist for the district.

Read the original post:

Career-minded middle-schoolers check out West Boca High

Related Posts

Comments are closed.